Work overload concerns among young people

Quynh Nhu (born in 2001, office worker, living in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) shared that there was a time when she cried while working because of exhaustion. “My body was always in pain, I was irritable with everything around me for no reason,” Quynh Nhu said about the period when she fell into a state of overload due to work pressure (burnout).

Common condition in young people

Quynh Nhu said she fell into a state of burnout when she was doing 3 things at the same time: doing a master's project, handling countless unnamed tasks at the company, and studying Korean. Everything did not go smoothly even though she tried many different ways. "Everything was a mess and I didn't know how to handle it, and I couldn't share it with anyone. I was completely isolated from everyone," Quynh Nhu confided. The climax was when she could only cry in a feeling of complete helplessness. She asked herself, was she taking on too much, or was she not good enough to manage everything?

Participating in extracurricular activities also helps relieve stress after work.

For Hai Quynh (born in 1994, in charge of growth at a technology company in Hanoi ), burnout comes in a more subtle way. She realizes that she has become “lazy” – especially lazy in communicating. “Whenever I have burnout, I often hide at home, not wanting to see anyone. I also lose interest in studying, lose focus easily, and lose my composure more easily when faced with a normal event,” she shares. At times, she feels disappointed: “Why am I so incompetent? Why do I keep making the wrong choices?” What makes her most tired is the feeling of not being able to share it with anyone.

Burnout is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “occupational phenomenon,” not a medical condition or mental health disorder. Burnout is classified as a syndrome—a collection of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that arise from a specific cause, usually prolonged stress and excessive pressure. Unlike stress, which is often easily recognized, burnout occurs silently, making it easy for those involved to confuse or ignore warning signs.

“To prevent burnout, it is necessary to build strong internal strength through three pillars: physical strength (eating, sleeping, living and exercising regularly); mental strength (maintaining the habit of learning, reading, developing thinking) and spiritual strength (cultivating optimism, willpower and emotional balance),” shared Dr. Pham Thi Thuy.

Untangle

According to Dr. Pham Thi Thuy (lecturer at the Regional Political Academy II), although there has not been a large-scale survey, through the courses and community programs she has participated in, about 60%-70% of individuals feel that they are suffering from burnout due to work pressure. In particular, this phenomenon not only occurs in working people but also appears in students - those who have to study and work at the same time. Dr. Pham Thi Thuy pointed out 3 main causes leading to the current burnout situation. First, the development of society brings many opportunities but also makes individuals work more and rest less. Second, the fluctuations in the world and the constant changes in Vietnam such as mergers, dissolution of enterprises and economic difficulties after Covid-19, make many people worry about the future. Third, the dense presence on digital platforms causes FOMO syndrome (fear of missing out - PV), making many people mentally "exhausted" from receiving too much information, even though they are not necessarily overworked.

In terms of solutions, according to Dr. Pham Thi Thuy, many organizations have begun to pay attention to the mental health of employees through activities such as psychological counseling, skills training, or community programs, internal training. "These are useful, timely activities, providing practical support for employees," Dr. Pham Thi Thuy emphasized. The advice given by Dr. Pham Thi Thuy is to know how to maintain a balance between work and entertainment, between the amount of information received and the ability to process it, between reason and emotion. Dr. Pham Thi Thuy emphasized: "Each person needs to practice effective time management skills and always maintain a clear purpose and meaning in life, so as not to fall into a state of confusion and disorientation."

On a personal level, Hai Quynh shared that writing every day helps her release her emotions, reading books helps stimulate positive thoughts and build a healthier life. “You have to learn how to take care of yourself, because only when both your body and mind are healthy can you go the long way,” Hai Quynh concluded. As for Quynh Nhu, she learned how to rest at the right time and arrange work according to priority. “You are the one who chooses the path, and your body is your companion. You have to know how to harmonize instead of exhausting both,” Quynh Nhu concluded.

HAI DUY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/noi-lo-qua-tai-cong-viec-o-nguoi-tre-post798501.html